The Untold Truth Of Kristin Cavallari

The following article mentions substance abuse. 

Kristin Cavallari has definitely come a long way from her start as a teen reality TV star to the full-blown mogul she is today. The Denver native rose to fame back in 2004 on the popular MTV reality series, "Laguna Beach," before taking over its spinoff, "The Hills" from its original star Lauren Conrad in 2009. Cavallari even did her own reality series, "Very Cavallari" on E! years later in 2018, which depicted her life as a wife and businesswoman.

Yet Cavallari is more than just a former reality star since she also did some acting earlier in her career, with movies like 2009's "Wild Cherry." She's dabbled in hosting over the years too, often on "E!'s Live from the Red Carpet." Cavallari is even a published author, thanks to her memoir "Balancing in Heels," as well as two cookbooks, "True Roots" and "True Comfort." These days though, Cavallari is focusing on her business Uncommon James, as well as co-hosting the "Laguna Beach" rewatch podcast, "Back to the Beach" with her high school boyfriend Stephen Colletti. When it comes to this stage in her career, she told Forbes, "I feel like I'm finally at a good place where I have a really good work/life balance."

In terms of her life, Cavallari has been very open about her relationships and motherhood, as well as her headline-making split from NFL star Jay Cutler. Yet there's still a lot that fans don't know about Cavallari, so with that said, let's break down her untold truth.

Kristin Cavallari definitely had a reputation of being quite the wild child on "Laguna Beach," which apparently started long before the MTV cameras started rolling. In fact, the former "The Fabulist" host admitted that it began when she was living with her mother in Barrington, Illinois following her parent's divorce. She recalled on an episode of "Very Cavallari," per People,"I started getting into quite a bit of trouble when I was in eighth grade. I would sneak out a lot. I started drinking, smoking pot, having sex. I got arrested a couple of times."

Cavallari even shared her naughty afternoon habit, dishing, "I went through a phase where I would literally smoke pot every day after school." She apparently had tried other drugs at that time too. When denying allegations that she used cocaine while on "The Hills," she admitted on the "Valentine in the Morning" radio show, via Hollywood Life, "I have [taken cocaine before]... I tried it in high school."

Yet it was seemingly because of Cavallari's wild ways that she ended up becoming a reality star. She explained, "I moved out of Barrington to Laguna Beach to live with my dad because I was getting into a lot of trouble. And my mom didn't really know what else to do with me." Despite her reputation, it appears there were some things she felt crossed the line, like what happened after prom. She revealed to Insider, "I didn't want my dad knowing that we got a hotel room."

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

It's safe to say that Kristin Cavallari is one of reality TV's most famous mean girls, thanks to her portrayal on "Laguna Beach" and then "The Hills." Yet the "True Roots" author said it was actually the producers of "Laguna Beach" who put her in that role in the first place. She explained to Insider, "I think they obviously saw from me from the get-go that I was someone who did speak my mind." She continued, "I have a strong presence and I think that's way easier to manipulate and edit into this villain role."

While it worked for the show, it initially hurt the then-high schooler. "No one ever told me like, 'Hey! By the way, you're the villain — so just want to prepare yourself,'" she recalled on "Very Cavallari." She added, "I was so young ... So, to all of a sudden have people saying what a b***h I was, that was really hard actually." However, she later decided to lean into it for "The Hills." She even told Buzzfeed, "MTV actually asked me if I was okay with them saying 'the b***h is back' ... I was having fun so I was game for it."

However, Cavallari did reveal that her confidence and meanness had all stemmed from her actually being self-conscious, which she now regrets. She dished on "The School of Greatness" podcast, "I was the one always trying to tear other people down or talking s**t or whatever it was, and that's an insecurity."

While "The Hills" was supposed to be a reality TV show chronicling Kristin Cavallari's real life from Season 5 on (after Lauren Conrad's departure), Cavallari later revealed to Buzzfeed that wasn't actually the case. "In 'The Hills,' I knew sort of this character that they wanted me to play." She continued, "I made a decision and I was like, 'Okay, this is my job and I'm going to separate my 'Hills' life from my real life.'"

Even though Cavallari found success with "Laguna Beach," she initially didn't want to do "The Hills." She recalled, "I kept being like, 'No, that's Lauren's thing ... But with her leaving, obviously, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up." It also may have been because Cavallari's acting career probably wasn't taking off as much as she hoped. She even told EW at the time, "The goal for me is to get my fans excited about me again ... If I have some buzz with my name again, I feel like it will only help."

It probably did help her acting, considering that Cavallari said the show's producers actually fed her lines. In fact, when appearing on "Watch What Happens Lives,"  Cavallari even dished, "I can tell you most of my stuff wasn't real." That included her relationships with Brody Jenner and Justin "Bobby" Brescia on the show. Cavallari was actually dating one of the show's cameramen instead, which she kept under wraps until sharing it years later on "Very Cavallari."

Kristin Cavallari suffered a heartbreaking loss in 2015 when her older brother, Michael Cavallari, died unexpectedly at age 30 under mysterious circumstances. "He was a very unhappy person and he struggled with some substance abuse," Kristin recalled on "Larry King Live," adding, "He hadn't slept the weekend before Thanksgiving and he decided to just get in his car and come and visit my mom and I in Chicago." Police eventually discovered Michael's abandoned car crashed in a desert area of Utah, before finding his body three miles from the wreck a few days later. "I think he was a little discombobulated, and he started walking and he got lost and couldn't find his way out," Kristin said.

Police eventually determined that Michael had died of hypothermia. A devastated Kristin took to Instagram to express her grief, writing, "My heart is in a million pieces ... I'm at a loss for words." Perhaps because she didn't get closure, Kristin appeared on "Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry" in 2018 to try to connect with Michael. She explained, via People, "He was dealing with some demons ... I don't think he wanted to be found."

While Kristin may never know what really happened, she shared online that she had found some peace, writing, "It's been a rough road for me and my family. I've had some incredible signs from him though." She also paid tribute to Michael on a trip to Italy on "Very Cavallari," revealing, "I just wish I could hug him one more time."

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

It's no secret that Kristin Cavallari has made headlines for who she's dated over the years, which all started in her teens on "Laguna Beach." The reality show featured her rocky relationship with her high school boyfriend, Stephen Colletti, but the two managed to stay friends after their split. Cavallari even later wrote in her book "Balancing in Heels," "I had a great boyfriend ... He was my entire world, and we loved hard and fought hard."

As her star began to rise though, Cavallari eventually moved on to more famous guys. According to E!, that included NFL player Matt Leinart, reality stars Brody Jenner and Nick Lachey, and actors Nick Zano and Chris Evans. While Cavallari mostly kept things casual, she did get Zano's initials tattooed (then removed) from her wrist. She also stayed in touch with Jenner and pretended to rekindle their romance on "The Hills." She explained on "Very Cavallari," "When I came on 'The Hills' like we didn't actually date, obviously, and we were able to just be friends."

While Cavallari eventually married NFL star Jay Cutler, the two divorced in 2020 and Cavallari was back to dating other celebrities like comedian Jeff Dye and country singer Chase Rice. Yet in 2022, Cavallari dished on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast that she prefers that her next boyfriend not be famous — or too famous, since she clarified, "My DMs have essentially been my dating app ... Sorry, I'm only gonna go for the verified!"

Kristin Cavallari's marriage to Jay Cutler was apparently not as perfect as it seemed. In fact, following their 2020 divorce, the Uncommon James founder shared that their relationship was actually rather "toxic." She explained on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, "I was in an unhealthy relationship ... I didn't want my kids thinking that was normal." It appears they had gotten off to a rocky start too, with Cavallari recalling their initial split before their 2013 wedding. "I called off the engagement [for] the same reason I got a divorce," she said, adding, "you can't ignore red flags, people don't change."

While fans were initially shocked by their divorce announcement, Cavallari told People it was a long time coming. "We tried really, really hard for years and years. It was the hardest decision I've ever made." Yet she knew it was for the best since she added, "I feel like my whole world is opening up now because of it."

Even two years after their split, Cavallari still called it "the best thing that I've ever done," on "The School of Greatness" podcast. She dished, "Being in a relationship where I was really unhappy, that wasn't going to work for me." Despite her openness about their break up, Cavallari still makes it a point to not bash Cutler in the press because he's the father of her kids. She's also grateful for their time together, revealing on "Call Her Daddy," "I don't regret anything at all."

It appears that Kristin Cavallari has really taken to motherhood ever since welcoming her first child, Camden, in 2012, with her ex Jay Cutler. While the then-25-year-old admitted to Glamoholic (via People), "I always thought I would have kids later on in life," she welcomed another son, Jaxon, soon after in 2014, and then daughter, Saylor, a year later. Motherhood seemingly changed Cavallari's life for the better though, with her gushing to Modeliste Magazine (via People), "There's just so much more love in your life. I finally feel like I have a real identity."

Cavallari's children also apparently helped her find inner happiness following her divorce. She revealed on "The School of Greatness" podcast, "My kids have inspired me to become the best version of myself." Cavallari now makes it a point to give them her full attention when she's with them. "I only have my kids half the time now ... I have just decided that the week I have my kids, I'm mom. I'm not doing anything else," she told Grazia.

While Cavallari often posts some of those times on Instagram, she's gotten flack for hiding their faces. Yet she explained, "I want my kids to make their own decision to be on social media instead of me making it for them." When it comes to if she'll give them another sibling one day, Cavallari dished on her Instagram Stories, per ET, "If I met someone who didn't have kids, then I would have one more."

Kristin Cavallari ended up returning to reality TV in 2018 with her own show on E! called "Very Cavallari." It was apparently an opportunity for her to finally show her authentic self, which she believed is much different than how she'd been portrayed on "The Hills" years earlier. She explained to Newsweek, "This is the first show that I've done that I can really get behind and say, 'This is 100 percent me.'"

Cavallari also felt the show was the perfect opportunity to promote her growing brand, Uncommon James. She revealed on E! News' "Pop of the Morning," "I wasn't even really supposed to be on it. I looked at it more like, 'Vanderpump Rules' ... I wanted it for Uncommon James. I wanted to bring exposure to my company." However, it appears that the show ended up impacting her personal life, like her friendship with her former BFF Kelly Henderson. Cavallari dished on "Very Cavallari," "The whole time her whole thing has been, 'I don't care about the show, I only care about your friendship.' She drank the Kool-Aid, big time."

The show also highlighted problems that Cavallari was having in her marriage to Jay Cutler. She even once said on camera, "From the outside, things are so perfect ... But actually, they're not. And that sucks." She eventually decided to end the series, sharing on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," "I wasn't gonna expose my divorce on camera and have my kids see that one day."

Kristin Cavallari is quite the mogul these days, which is why it shouldn't come as a surprise that she's a multi-millionaire. Celebrity Net Worth reports that she's worth an impressive $30 million, thanks to a career that began on reality TV. Yet, Cavallari didn't actually make much for her first show, "Laguna Beach," revealing on her "Back to the Beach" podcast that she only got $2,500 for the first season. It did seemingly make her popular enough for her to later get a whopping $90,000 an episode to do "The Hills" though, per The Daily Beast.

Cavallari eventually pivoted her reality TV fame into acting gigs and even got paid between $20,000 and $25,000 to just make public appearances. She also made money off book sales since she wrote three New York Times bestsellers. Then there's Cavallari's lifestyle brand, Uncommon James, which according to USA Today brought in $20 million in revenue in 2019. When it comes to her company, she dished, "There is no other option for me than getting (the business) where I want it to be." 

However, Cavallari's bank account may have taken a hit in her divorce from Jay Cutler since Daily Mail reports he petitioned for half ownership of her business. The former couple also sold their Nashville home at a loss, per The Observer, only getting $3.7 million instead of the $7.9 million they asked for. Yet, Cavallari still managed to buy her own, new $5 million mansion in the area.

Kristin Cavallari obviously has a super fit physique but she apparently didn't get that from dieting. The former reality star told Cooking Light that she actually loves food but makes it a point to make healthy choices. She explained, "In my early 20s, all I did was look at calories ... Now the only thing I look at is the ingredient list." She continued, "I decided to eat real food with as little processing as possible." Cavallari usually cooks her own meals as well, telling Us Weekly, "That's the only way to truly know what's in your food." However, that doesn't mean she won't let herself splurge here-and-there either. "When I go out to eat or go on vacation, I eat whatever I want," she said.

Cavallari is also really into fitness, doing workouts one day a week on her own and three days with her trainer. "He has me actually lifting really heavy weight, the heaviest weight I've ever lifted in my entire life. I feel the best I ever have," she told Us Weekly.

The "Balancing in Heels" author even reflected on how far she's come on her fitness journey in a 2022 Instagram post, writing, "I'm really proud of the progress I've made," adding, "I work out really hard and am dedicated to a healthy lifestyle." She shared her body changes with Us Weekly too, saying, "I didn't realize it at the time, how thin I was. So I'm happy that I've put on weight."

Despite the time that's passed, Kristin Cavallari is still friends with some of her former MTV co-stars to this day. It seems she's the closest with her ex-boyfriend and fellow "Laguna Beach" star Stephen Colletti, considering that the two started the podcast, "Back to the Beach" together in 2022. Cavallari gushed to People, "Working with Stephen has been so much fun and so easy and a dream come true." She even hinted that they briefly rekindled their high school romance after her 2020 divorce, by revealing on an episode, "We went to dinner, we had a lot of fun ... We may or may not have kissed."

Cavallari is actually in contact with a lot of her former "Laguna" cast-mates, telling Grazia Magazine, "Jason [Wahler] lives in Nashville ... so we get our families together all the time." She continued, "Talan [Torriero] I have reconnected. I've stayed in touch with both Alex Murrel and Alex Hooser over the years." And just because her and Lauren Conrad never became friends, doesn't mean there's bad blood between them either. "The last few times I've seen her we've given each other hugs and it's been great," Cavallari told Buzzfeed.

Cavallari is also still close with some of the ladies from "The Hills," with Heidi Montag and Audrina Patridge appearing on a 2020 episode of her reality show "Very Cavallari." "We had such a great time filming ... And it was just fun to be with friends I've had for a long time," Cavallari told People.

It seems Kristin Cavallari is legit thriving these days after coming out the other side from her painful divorce. She even revealed on "The School of Greatness" podcast, "It's been the best thing that I've ever done, and that has really jumpstarted my journey on self-love and figuring out who I am now." However, Cavallari had to do a lot of healing to get there. She later shared in her Instagram Stories in 2022, per ET, "I've honestly needed the past two years to work through some heavy stuff."

It appears to have all paid off though since Cavallari revealed, "I'm the happiest I've ever been ... I'm no longer afraid of getting hurt." She's even open to finding love again, adding, "I'm actually excited to see who I can be in a new relationship because I feel like I've done so much work the last few years." While Cavallari went to tell fans on Instagram that she thinks she'll even get married again one day, she apparently believes it's more important to find happiness within. She explained, "No one can make you happy or fill a void. That's an inside job."

That's seemingly been a job well done too, with Cavallari gushing in a 2021 Instagram post, "I feel like I'm back to my old self and it feels really d**n good." Yet, it's safe to say that Cavallari's old self is so much more than the mean girl we thought we knew from TV.